chauyet



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. v

(No Model.)

J. J. M. CHAUVET. MACHINE FOR MAKING SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES.

Patented Feb. 27,1883.

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS Pholo-Liflwgnpher. Waillirlglon. D. c.

3 Sheets-Sheetfi.

(No Model.)

J. J. M. GHAU-VET. MAEEINE FOR MAKING SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES.

No. 273,027. Patented Feb.27, 1883.

ATTORNEYS.

3 SheetsSheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. J. M. OHAUVET. MA'GHINE FOR MAKING SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES.

Patented Feb. 27, 1883.

ATTORNEYS.

'N. Pinks Plwlv-Lithognpher. Washington. a. c.

UNrran STATES PATENT @rrroe. t

JOSEPH J. M. CHAUVET, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR MAKING SEWING-MACHINE N EEDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,027, dated February 27, 1883.

Application filed August 18, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH J. M. C-HAUVET, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Making Sewing-Machine Needles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making sewingmachineneedles; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specificatiomin which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 isa plan view of my improved machine for forming and grooving sewing-machine needles. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the i'iedle-grooving mechanism on the line a: 00, Figs. 2 and 4. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of the machine on the liney y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a crossseotional elevation of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a front end elevation of the device for forming the needle out of the,piece of steel wire. Fig. 7 isa detail insideelevation of the cam mechanism of the sliding blocks of the needlegrooving mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail longitudinal elevation of the rocking cam acting on the needle -holding lever of the mechanism tor grooving the needles.

The machine is composed of three different mechanisms-one for shaping the butt end of the needle and cutting oft the wire, a second for tapering down the wire to form the needle, and a third for providing the needle with the side groovesall the said mechanisms being operated from one main longitudinal shaft, A, which is rotated by some suitable devices, in the example shown a gear-wheel being provided.

The wire is fed to the. machine and into a sliding clutch or holder, A, which is reciprocated by a lever, A provided between its free end and its fulcrum with a stud, A against which a cam, B, mounted on the shaft A, 0perates. the free end of the lever A beingdrawn toward the said cam by a spring, A. The holder A is so constructed that it only grasps the wire (J, from which the needles areto be made, when the said clutch moves in the direction toward the interior of the machine. By the which is closed so as to grasp and hold the wire when the holder A moves in the direction from the clamp B The clamp B is closed automatically by a cam, B on the shalt A, and is opened by a spring, 8*, on the clamp B The wire G passes through a spring-eye, a, or between spring-fingers at the outer end of an arm, (3, pivoted to the free end of apivoted arm, to which is pivoted an anglearm, 0 which passes into a cam-groove in the side of a collar, 0", mounted on the shaft A. A reciprocating cutter, G is located adjoining to the inner surface of the clamp 13, and is drawn in the direction from the wire by a spring, (3 and is pressed through the wire by a cam, G whereby the said cutter 0 outs oif the wire 0 at the desired length. i The end of the wire held by the spring-fingers or springeye passes into a cutter-head, a adapted to form the base end of the needle, and mounted on the end of a journaled shaft, a provided holder A the wire is fed into a clamp, B g

with a belt-pulley, a, and surrounded by aspring, a which presses the shaft a in the direction from the end of the wire G--that is, in the direction of the arrow at, as shown in the top of Fig. 1.

One end of a pivoted lever, b, rests against the end of the shaft a and the opposite end of this lever rests against a cam, 0 mounted on the shaft A, whe eby, when the shaftArotates, the lever b pushes the shaft (1. in the inverse direction of the arrow at, upon which the spring a presses the shaft a in the direction of the arrow a. A spindle, D, provided with a belt-pulley, D, is journaled in standards D on a block, D which is adapted to slide slightly on the top plate, D, of the machineframe.

The sliding block D is provided with an arm, D provided with a stud which enters a can], d of a collar, d on the shaft A, whereby the block D will be reciprocated.

One of the bearings of the spindle D consists of a screw, 0. in one of the standards D. for the purpose of adjusting the spindle in position. The outer end of the spindle is beveled, and is provided with one or more transverse slits, forming a chuck or clutch, which is adapted to hold a needle.

An internally-beveled collar, E, surrounds the chuck end ofthe spindle D, and is heldloosely in the upper end of an angle-arm,E, adapted to slide on the top of the block D through the lower end of which angle-arm E a pivoted lever, F, passes, which is provided at the end opposite the one passing through the anglearm E with a stud, F, passing vinto a camgroove, F in the collar mounted on the shaft A, whereby when the shaft A is rotated the angle-arm IE will be reciprocated.

A frame, G, is adapted to slide longitudinally and horizontally in the block D and is connected at one end by a pin with the slotted end of a horizontally-rocking lever, G, which is provided at the opposite end with a stud passing into a cam-groove, G of a collar, G mounted onthe shaft A. In the opposite end of the frame G a dovetailed transverse slide, H, is held,which is pressed toward the outer longitudinal side of the frame G- that is, in the direction of the arrow 1) shown in the right-hand side of Fig. 1-b v aspring, H.

At the end opposite the one acted upon by the spring H the slide H is provided with a finger, d, which rests against a former, I, the edge of which has the same shape as the contour of the completed needle, and which form-- er I is attached to an upwardly-prtjecting arm, 1, of the block D. To the outer surface of'the slide H a plate, J, is held by two screws, J and J the latter passing through a curved slot, J thus permitting the said plate J to be adjusted in the inclination of its inner edge to the vertical plane.

In the upper end of the plate J a cutter or needle-shaping tool, K, is held by a binding screw, K, in such a'manncr that the said tool will be parallel with the end of the frame G, and can act on the needle-wire, which is held parallel with the longitudinal axis of. the frame G.

To the end of the frame Gr a plate, f, is secured, in the upper end of which a slightlyinclined adjustable support, f, is held in such a manner that the said support will be adjoining to the side of the cutting or shaping tool K.

The wire which is being shaped and formed into a needle passes through a guide-opening,

f of the adjustable support f, and will thus be supported at the point at which it is being planed off or shaped by the shaper or cutter K. The guide-opening f may he made ofany suitable size according to the size of the needles. Supporting-plates f, having different sizes of guide-openingsf can be secured in the plate f.

A square bar-shaft, g, passes through a frame, L, holding the devices for grooving the needles, and can be reciprocated by a pivoted lever, g, having one end slotted and connected with the said sliding shaft 9, and having its opposite end provided with a segmental rack, 9 The said segmental rack engages with a sliding rack, h, provided with a stud, h, entering a cam-groove, h in a collar, h, on the shaft A. The said square shaft 9 is provided with a longitudinal aperture throughout its entire length, and contains a round shaft, k,which is provided at the end opposite the one toward the mechanism for shaping the needle with a crank, 7a, to which is connected a rod, 10 provided at its opposite end with a stud or finger entering a cam-groove in the side of a collar, on the shaft A, which cam-groove is so constructed that the shaft 70 will be rocked in a quarter of a circle at certain times.

The inner shaft, 70, is reciprocated with the square shaft 9 surrounding it, and for that reason the crank it must be mounted on the shaft is in such a manner that the said shaft can slide through the crank. To permit this the square shaft 9 must have a longitudinal slot through which the crank can pass,and at the end of the longitudinal slot must have a transverse slot to permit the crank to turn the shaft It.

At the end toward the mechanism forshaping the needle the shaft 70 is provided with a downwardly-projecting arm, I, which .is provided with a slight curve or crook atits lower end, on which arm a sliding pin orfinger, Z, is held in a casing, Z attached to the arm I, and

is pressed downward by a spring, P.

A downwardly curved arm, m, projects from the side of the square shaft g at the end toward the mechanism for shaping the needle.

A frame, M, slides on the frame L parallel with the shaft D and underthe frame L, which sliding frame M is operated by a pivoted lever, M, provided with a stud passing into a cam-groove, M in a collar, M on the shaft A. The stroke of the frame M must be adjusted according to the length of the needle. For this purpose the pintle M, which secures the end of the lever M to thesliding frame M, must be .made adjustable. This is accomplished by attaching it to a dovetailed block, M, which slides in a transverse dovetailed groove in the under side of the outer end of the frame M. The said sliding frame M is provided on the end toward the shaft D with a block, N, upon which the needle is placed, and on which it is held by a clamping-lever, N, which is pivoted on the sliding frame M, and is adapted to rock in the vertical plane. The front end of the said lever N rests on the block N, and the rear end is provided with a vertical adjusting-screw, N which rests on a transverse lever, N pivoted on the rear end of the top of the slidipg frame M, the free end of the said lever N resting on the upper end of a lever, n, pivoted to the side of the sliding frame M, and adapted to swing in the vertical plane parallel with the sides of the frame M. This lever n is provided at its upper end with a cam projection, '12, and is provided at its lower end with afork, n

A lever, O, is pivoted to swinglaterally in a block, 0, which is pivoted to swing in the vertical plane on a standard, between the frame N and the shaft A. One end of the said lever 0 passes into a cam-groove, in a collar, 0 mounted on the shalt A. The camgroove 0 is not provided with a circular bottom, but is provided at one point with a protuberance, 0 so that at that point the camgroove will have less depth than at the other points, and consequently will rock the lever O in a vertical plane, the cam-groove being so formed that it also rocks the lever O laterally. The end of,the lever O opposite theone in the camgroove O is adapted to pass between the shanks of the fork n of the lever 12, for a purpose which will be described hereinafter.

Two blocks or plates, P and P, are held flat against the front of the frame L, and are adapted to slide laterallyin the vertical planethat is, they are adapted to move to and from each other, and are pressed apart by a spring, Q, inserted in recesses in their adjoining edges. In each of the said plates P and P vertical shafts p are jouriialed 'at the adjoining or inner edges of these blocks, and the said shafts are provided at the upper ends with cog-wheels p, engaging with each other, and one of them alsoengaging with a cog-wheel, 9 mounted on the same shaft with a belt-pulley. 19 ,011 the top of the frame L,whereby both shafts p can be rotated by the pulley 19 By this construction the friction on the slides P P, which would be produced hya driving-belt, is entirely avoided.

()n the lower ends of the shafts p rotating saws or cutters P are mounted. The said rotating cutters serve to cut the side grooves into the needle, which is held on the block N by the lever N, as will be fully described hereinafter. V

In sewinginachine needles one side groove must be longer than the other. For this purpose one cutter I" must act on the needle longer than the other. The cutters act on the needle only when the same are pressed against the needle, andas the cutters are held in the blocks P and P one of the said blocks must be pressed toward the middle of the frame longer than the other. For this purpose I havejournaled a transversehorizontal rocking i shaft, It, in the frame L, which is connected with a pivoted angle-lever, R, the lower end of which enters a cam-groove, q, in a collar, g, on the shaft A, whereby when the shaft A is rotated the shaft It will be rocked.

On the shaft R,l have mounted asmall wheel,

S, adjoining to the outer edge of the block P,

and a large wheel, S, adjoiningto theouteredge of the block P,each oft hesa-id wheels being providcd on theinner surface with a former, s,which formers are to act on teeth 1" otdiagonally-sliding plates T, held in the outer edges ofthe plates or blocks P and P in such a manner that the teeth 1' project from the said outer ed ges of the plates P and P. The said plates T are contained in recesses T in the outer edges of the plates P and P, which recesses increase in depth from the upper toward the lower ends, and in which recesses the plates T are pressed upward by springs V. The plates T are each provided with a longitudinal slot, 2, through which a pin, t, passes into the block P or-P. 1f the pressure is exerted on the tooth 0' from above, the plate T will be moved downward and along the inner beveled edge of its recess and consequently the tooth T will be with-l plates P and P toward each other.

drawn into the recess; but if the pressure is exerted on the tooth 1' from below, the plate T cannot yield, as its upper end strikes the end of the recess T, and consequently this pressure against the tooth from below will cause a. lateral movement of the plate T and the block P or P in which it is contained. If thewheels S and S rock and their formers .9 move downward, the plates T will be pressed within the recesses of the plates P and P; but if the formers move upward they will strike against the lower edge of the teeth r, and will press the As the wheel S has a greaterdiameter than the wheel S, the former s of the wheel S will act on the tooth rofits corresponding plate, T, a less time than the former s of the wheel S acts on the tooth r of its corresponding plate, T, as the former s of the wheel S moves more rapidly than the former s of the wheel S-that is, the plate P will be pressed toward the middle of the frame L a less timethan the plate P, and consequently the cutter P of the plate P will act on the needle a shorter time than the cutter P of the plate P, and the result is that the cutter P of the block P will cut ashorter groove than the other cutter P An anglelever, WV, is provided at one end, which is in front of the two cutters P with spring-fingers, which are adapted to seize the needle after it has been grooved. The short arm of the said angle-lever W is connected with one end of a pivoted lever, W, the other end of which is connected with a rod, W the opposite end of which enters a cam-groove in the side of a collar, U, mounted on the shaft A,wherebywhen the shaft A is rotated the angle-lever W will be rocked and its free end moved to and from the cutters P The spring-fingers at the end of the lever W are adapted to seize the completed needle automatically, and then throw it over by the outward movement of the said lever W.

The operation is as follows: The wire G, from which the needles are to be formed, is passed into the machine in the direction of the arrow at, is then received by the reciprocating feeder or holder A, and passed into the clamp B which holds it during the time that the holder A is moved back again. From the clamp B the wire is passed through the springtinger (t, which holds it, and from there into the rotary cutter-head (6 which forms the base end of the needle. The cutter G is forced in the direction'of the-arrow bthat is, toward the wire-by its cam 0 and cuts off the wire at the desired length. When the wire enters the cutter-head a the cam and the lever b have forced the spindle a from the end on which the cutter-head a is mounted toward the end of the wire, and hold it there as long as the wire is being shaped. Then the cam N, on account of its peculiar contour, releases the lever b, and the spring a forces the spindle a in the direction of the arrow a--that. is, from the end of the wire which is being shaped by the said cutter-head a The piece of wire from- IIO which the needle is to be made, and which has been cut off from the main piece of wire. will thus be held by the spring-finger a on the lever C. By the action of the cam-groove in the collar 0 on the levers O and O the lever C will be moved in the direction of the arrow bthat is, toward the mechanism for shaping the needle; or, in other words, the lever O carries the needlein front of the clutch end of the spindle D on the sliding block D which sliding block I) has been withdrawn in the direction ofthe arrow in by the groove d in thecollar d on the arm ])'0f the block D \Vhen the needle is in front of the clutch end of the spindle D the block D is moved in the inverse direction of the arrow a, so that the butt-end of the needle passes into the clutch end of the spindle D. By that time the lever F, which is operated by the cam-groove F of the collar 0 pushes the anglearm E, provided with the collar E, surrounding the clutch end of the spindle D, in the inverse direction of the arrow at, whereby the clutch end of the spindle D will be pressed together by the said collar E, and will clamp and firmly hold the needle. Then the lever O is withdrawn, and the springfingers separate and release the needle. At the same time that the needle is carried over in front of the spindle D it is pressed in between the lever l and its sliding finger l on the squared shaft 9, which arm lat the time hangs down vertically, and is directly in front of the clutch end of the spindle D. The cutter K then turns oft or shapes the needle, the movement of this cutter in relation to the thickness of the wire of the needle being governed by the former I, against which the stud d of the plate J, holding the cutter K, rests. During this operation the former remains stationary; but the sliding frame G is pushed in the direction of the arrow a by the lever G, actuated by the cam-groove G in the collar G The needle is gradually forced through the supporting-plate j", which supports the needle at the point at which it is being turned oli', and thus prevents the breaking of the needle. As soon as the needle has been turned the frame Gr is drawn in the inverse direction of the arrow 0/ by the lever G. Then the shaft k is rotated a quarter-turn by the cam-collar it and the rod 10 and the arm Zare swung upward a quarter of a circle, so that its lower end will be directly in front of and before the block N, whichis slightly grooved in its upper edge to adapt it to receive the needle, the needle being pushed upon this block by the arm m. The squared shaft 9 is moved in the inverse direction of the arrow at by the action of the cam-groove h on the sliding rack h, and the action of the same on the lever g, whereby the finger Z, holding the needle, will be moved toward the mechanism for grooving the needle. At that moment the lever O is raised, so that its inner end enters the fork-n of the lever n, and then the cam-groove 0 moves the inner end of the lever O laterally, so that the cam 01 will be forced under the end of the lever N whereby the free end of this lever N will be forced upward and will force the screw N upward, as well as the rear end of the lever N, whereby the front end of the said lever N will be pressed down on the block N and will hold the needle in place. After the needles have been grooved the lever enters the fork M, and is turned laterally by its cam-groove, so as to swing the cam projection n from under the lever N and thus permitting the rear end of the lever N to descend and the lever to be released. The wheels S and S, provided with the formers 8, press the cutters P against the sides of the needle, and the groove will be cut. As stated before, one cutter remains in contact with the needle longer than the other, so that a longer groove will be obtained on one side of the needle than on the other. As soon as the needle has been cut the lever 0 moves the cam n on thelever n from under the end of the lever N permitting the rear end of the lever N to descend and the front end of the same to rise, thereby releasing the needle which is grasped by the spring-fingers at the end of the angle-lever YV, and is thrown into a suitable receptacle.

The machine may be adjusted to make needles of different lengths and thicknesses, and the lengths of the grooves and the relative positions may be varied as may be desired. The shafts or spindles a and D and the pulley 1 are rotated by means of suitable belting, as circumstances may require.

1 am aware that a machine for making sewing-machine needles in which the wire is first cut into required lengths, then pointed, and finally grooved is old; and I am also aware that it is old to cause one of the cutters which form the groove in the needle to act longer on the needle than the other, in order that one side groove may be longer than the other, and I therefore do not claim such inventions.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent 1. Ina machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with a single driveshat't and the cams thereon, ot the cutting, shaping, and grooving mechanisms, and the means t'orcarrying the needle successively from the cutting to the shaping and from the shaping to the groovin'g mechanism, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the laterallysliding blocks or plates carrying the shatts on which the groove-cutters are mounted, of

rocking formers, and of inwardly and downwardly sliding plates provided with projecting teeth or lugs and held loosely to the outer edges of the said laterally-sliding blocks or plates, substantially as ht'I'Blli shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the laterallysliding blocks or plates carrying the shafts on which the groove-cutters are mounted, of rocking formers, of inwardly and downwardly slidingplates provided with projecting teeth or lugs and held loosely to the outer edges of the said laterally-sliding blocks or plates, and of springs for pressing the said toothed plates upward and outward, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a machiuefor making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the laterallysliding plates or blocks P and P, of the inwardly and downwardly sliding plates T, held in the edges of the plates P and P, the teeth or lugs 1", the springs V, and the pin it, passing through the longitudinal slot tin the plates T, substantially as herein shown and described,

. and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the plates P and P, carrying the shafts on which the groovecutters are mounted, and provided with sliding plates T, having projecting teeth or lugs r, of the rocking shaft R, and the wheels S provided on the sides with the formers s s, of

different sizes according to the desired length of the grooves, which formers'act on teeth or lugs of the said sliding plates, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth..

6. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the laterallysliding plates carrying the shafts onavhich the groove-cutters are mounted, of cogwheels mounted on the said shafts, of an additional cog-wheel engaging-with one of the cog-wheels on the said shafts, and of a belt-pulley united with the additional cog-wheel, substantially as herein shown and described, andfor the purpose set forth.

7. In a machine for making sewing-machine, needles, the combination, with theplates P and P, carrying the shafts p p, on which the cutters P are mounted, the block N, the lever N,

the screw or support N the transverse lever N and the swinging cam-lever n for raising the lever N and the lever N, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

S. In a machine formaking sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the plates P and P, holding the shafts p p, on which the cutters P are mounted, of the block N, the lever N, the screw or support N the transverse lever N and the swinging lever n, provided at its upper end with a cam projection, n, and at its lower end with a fork, n adapted to receive the end of a vertically and laterally swinging lever, O, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the plates Pand P, carrying the shafts p p, on which the cutters P are mounted, of the block N, the lever N, the screw or support N the transverselever N the swinging lever 12, provided with a cam projection, n, and a fork, W, the vertically and laterally swinging lever O, and the collar 0 mounted on the shaft A, and provided with a cam-groove, 0 having a protuberance, O in its bottom, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the groove-cutters, of the sliding frame M, the lever M, operated from the main shaft, and the pintle M sliding in a transverse groove in the frame M, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose of adjusting the stroke of the frame M, as set forth.

11.. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the sliding block D of the supporting clutch-spindle l) for holding the needle-blank, and of the frame G, sliding in the block D and carrying the cutter for turning OE and shaping the needle, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the cam d on the shaft A, and the sliding block D provided with the arm D having a stud engaging with said cam, of the supporting clutch-spindle for holding the needle-blank, of the frame G, sliding in the block D and carrying the cutter for turning off and shaping the needle, and of devices for moving the block D and the frame G independently from each other and directly from the main shaft, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the sliding, block D holding the clutch-shaft which holds the needle while the same is being shaped, of a locking-collar surrounding the clutch end of the shaft, a sliding'arm to which the said collar is attached, and of devices for moving the sliding block and the sliding lever independ' ently of each other directly from the main shaft, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination of the sliding block D supporting the spindle D, for holding the needle-blank while the same is being shaped, the collar E, surrounding the clutch end of the spindle D, the slide-arm E, to which the collar E is attached, the pivoted lever F, connected with the sliding arm E and acted upon by a cam-collar on the shaft A, and of the arm D connected with the block D and acted upon by a collar on the shaft A, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose 'set forth.

15. In a machine for making sewing-machine needles, the combination, with the block D adapted to slide in the direction of the length of the needle, of the frame G, sliding in the block D parallel with the same, and carrying the mechanism for shaping the needle, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

Witnesses: JOSEPH J. ill. CHAUVET.

OSCAR. F. GUNZ, G. SEDGWIGK. 

